Jennifer Aniston joins £400-a-day TV soap to help father John

JENNIFER Aniston could return to television in a low-budget daytime soap on a pay rate of less than £400 a day.

Jennifer Aniston has banked almost £15million from three films this year []

The A-list actress, who has banked almost £15million from three films this year alone will not even be the star of the show.

Instead, she will join the cast of long-running serial Days of Our Lives for several episodes in an effort to save her father’s job.

Veteran actor John Aniston, who was 78 last month, has played Greek mobster Victor Kiriakis on the show for 24 years, appearing in 1,199 episodes. Now, however, NBC bosses say they intend to axe the soap at the end of its current series because of disastrous ratings.

All nine main stars, including Jen’s father, have pleaded in vain for a stay of execution and more than a million viewers have signed petitions demanding it remains on air. Despite their efforts, programme chiefs insist the only thing that can save the show is a huge ratings boost and that is what producers believe Jen, 42, can deliver.

In one plot already scripted, the former Friends star will play a “frazzled” wedding planner who helps her father’s character marry fellow show stalwart Maggie Norton, played by Suzanne Rogers.

A source said yesterday: “We’re hoping Jen will join us in November, when all the networks are at their most competitive.

“She has said she wants to help but her schedule is so tight we may have to cram a lot of shooting into just a few days.”

Jen’s third film this year, the comedy Wanderlust in which her co-star is new beau Justin Theroux, arrives in British cinemas the same month and she is contracted to promote it worldwide. She has been paid £5million for the movie, also banking £6.2million and £3.7million since January for her box office hits Just Go With It and Horrible Bosses.

The source said: “John is thrilled at the prospect of working alongside his daughter for the first time. He didn’t approach her, though. The show’s executive producers did because John didn’t want to put Jen under pressure.

“Now the only worry for them is exactly when she will be able to join the cast and how many episodes they can squeeze out of her. It’s a logistical nightmare. She is so in demand that her diary is almost always full.”

Jennifer’s spokesman refused to comment on the plans but a close friend of the actress said: “She wants to do it and she’s happy to take the bare minimum Screen Actors’ Guild day rate.

“The idea of a semi-comedic role opposite her dad is hugely appealing to Jennifer.”

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